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Photography by Hydee Ursolino Abrahan
For some, it was their first time to travel to Los Angeles from Louisiana. Bishop Oscar offered to take care of their travel logistics. They declined. Instead, some of them came in style, alighting from rented limousines. Women wore their fascinators, wide brim hats and they all wore their fancy Sunday suits, ready to show their full support for Bishop Oscar Solis. It was touching to see this caring contingent of Caucasian and African-American folks whose presence declared that Bishop Oscar was part of their family. The homily was given by Cardinal Roger Mahoney, and Bishop’s response after Communion was delivered, in four languages: English, Tagalog, Spanish and French-Creole. I felt pride when I heard the bishop speak of being born in San Jose, Nueva Ecija in the Philippines. And I felt even bigger pride when he spoke of making diversity a vibrant feature of his term as Bishop of Los Angeles. It may have signaled a new dynamism, of making all ethnicities visible and if included, they too can provide leadership to the largest Archdiocese of Los Angeles—with more than 4 million Catholics. The multicultural leadership of Bishop Oscar Solis Under his leadership, Bishop Oscar Solis will convene and is currently organizing the first ever National Assembly of Filipino Priests in USA at the Westin Hotel from November 8 to 11, 2011. To numerologists, this conference has significance, culminating on 11-11-11. It is like winning the jackpot, a series of ones, multiplied
by itself, becomes an integer in the infinity, signifying perhaps the growth of this endeavor, with multiplier effects in synergy, solidarity, substance and spirituality. As if with grace from above, the convening committee is blessed with abundance and is well-embraced by the larger community for its efforts. It has a robust program that consist of: Emerging Models of Leadership in Ministry, Lay Ministry’s Joys and Challenges, Asian and Pacific Island Presence: Harmony in Faith-Document Revisited, Cultural Integration in Praxis, The Priests’ Role in the Public Arena: a Balancing Act, Mens Sana in Corpore Sano: Priest and Wellness, Intercultural Competencies For Mission, The Spirituality of the Filipino Priest, Liturgy in the Life and Ministry of the Priest, Specialized Ministry in Focus, Maintaining Safe Environment, Civil Procedures and Canonical Procedures and Priestly Fraternity and Ministry. Five months before the conference, 70 priests have registered, and more are expected—with about 800 Filipino priests in America. Even the definition of Filipino has expanded under Bishop Solis’ tutelage: by birth, by heritage, by cultural praxis, by choice, and those who minister to Filipino communities. It makes for a more inclusive definition of the word “Filipino.” The Bishop’s formation The Crucifix was the center of religious celebrations in the ricegrowing barrio of Santo Tomas in San Jose, Nueva Ecija. Today, the farmers still till the land and the third generation of tenant farmers The National Association of Filipino Priests (U.S.A) 67